1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to intake systems of automotive internal combustion engines and more particularly to engine intake pipe arrangements for automotive vehicles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is well known, an intake system of an automotive internal combustion engine is provided with a rigid, though slightly flexible, intake pipe which is arranged between an air cleaner and an intake manifold for fluidly interconnecting same. In the prior art intake pipe arrangement, such an intake pipe is rigidly mounted on a vehicle body or an engine by means of a bracket or brackets. Due to this, a pair of flexible rubber ducts are necessitated for connecting the opposed ends of the intake pipe to the air cleaner and the intake manifold in a manner to allow them to be movable to some extent relative to each other.
Thus the prior art engine intake pipe arrangement has a disadvantage that it leads to a large number of constituent parts of the intake system and therefore to a high manufacturing and assembling expense.
A further disadvantage is that thermal stress deformation and cracking of the bracket or brackets leading to breakage thereof may possibly occur due to the difference in temperature and thermal expansion coefficient between the intake pipe and the vehicle body or the engine.